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Today's featured picture An engraving made from a daguerreotype of Ira Aldridge (1807–1867) in the role of Aaron from William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. Aldridge was an African American actor who made his career largely in Europe due to persistent racism in the United States. He began acting with the African Grove theatre in New York City, and moved to London in the early 1820s, where he soon began receiving critical acclaim for his performances, most notably for Othello. He then was cast in several roles of specifically white characters, such as the title role in Richard III, and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. He was so renowned that he is the only African American to be included among the 33 actors honored at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. Daguerreotype: William Paine; Image: London Printing and Publishing Co; Restoration: Adam Cuerden Recently featured: Arabella, Countess of Scrotum – Lady Venetia Bonkbuster – Baron Lars-Hendrik Abba af Waterloo

Today's featured list In the English coastal city of Brighton and Hove, more than 30 former places of worship have been demolished for various reasons (Connaught Institute pictured during demolition in 2010). The area, originally a collection of villages around the fishing port of Brighthelmston and its neighbour Hove, has a long history of Christian worship, and many denominations founded churches and chapels as the town grew into the fashionable resort of Brighton and absorbed its neighbours. Pressure for land and redevelopment claimed many churches, such as Charles Busby's Greek Revival St Margaret's proprietary chapel and the landmark Dials Congregational Church; others, like the Gothic Revival Christ Church and the "graceful" Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion Chapel, suffered structural or fire damage; and others became unviable as congregations declined. The "Wagner churches"—a series of eleven 19th-century Anglican churches in poor areas, founded and paid for by the Vicar of Brighton Henry Michell Wagner and his son—have fared badly: six no longer survive. In many cases, displaced worshippers have joined the congregations of other churches, whose parishes have been enlarged. (more...)